When i plant my tomatoes, i put a tomato cage on right away and a clear plastic garbage bag on top of the cage. I attach the bag to the cage with clothespins. I lower the bag at night or on cool days and attach it to the bottom of the cage with clothes pins. Easy peasy!

I've never done this but a friend of mine does and he says it really works great. He uses the bags that milk comes in, the thicker small bags that come in a larger bag. He starts the seeds right in the smaller bags, and then props them up in a container. When the plants are big enough to be planted outdoors, he cuts out the bottom and places the plant, bag and all, in the hole. The bag that's left acts as a collar to keep away the cutworms etc. Watering right into the bag would ensure that water and fertilizer goes right to the plant, not just runoff. If he gets a late frost, he just uses a clothespin to close the top of the bag. I thought it might work out but never tried it myself. Marg

When I plant my tomatoes out I put a coffee can top and bottom cut off over them. Push it in a little and water and fertilize into that. I can then put a cage over that, and cover with old sheets or frost clothes. Some summers I never get a chance to put the sheets away. I usually plant out May long weekend, we still get frost after that but the sheets work and I always find it easier to cover when the plants are small rather than later in the season.

I'm planning to start my tomatoes on the 15th of March this year, that seems to work for me. C

I just happen to have all of the things mentioned, except for the clothespins. I'm sure somebody I know has them.

I'll start my tomatoes soon then, as we're all in zone 3 except for lucky Marg.

Thanks ladies =:) Lynn

When I plant mine, I just plunk one of those big clear juice jugs with the bottom cut out right over my tomato plants. I leave them in place until the plant is too big to leave them on any longer. You'd think the tomatoes would cook inside there, but they don't. I like the juice jugs because they are sturdier than the milk jugs. They are a nuisance to store, but my DH had the idea to stack them vertically over a rebar in an out of the way location. Works great.

Now, get some clothespins and a clothesline too - you want to be GREEN!

Ha ha the clothesline. DH got stung by a wasp that came out of his shirt that had been on the line, so I did away with it years ago. Didn't like the aphids on the dish clothes either =:( I hang to dry in the basement.

So, can I plant my tomatoes now? Can I? Can I ?

Lynn

Probably, if you have the room indoors and if you're willing to protect them later. :)

I haven't heard from the American friend who has ask me to start tomatoes up here for her for when she comes for the summer, but i do have a few of her seeds left from last year, so maybe i'll start a few of them soon.

I started mine yesterday. My 18 month old niece helped me. I will definitely need to do some thinning. She had a blast. Only did eighteen different varieties this year, four or six of each. Here's hoping for a great tomato year. C

Tiny fingers planting seeds,
A packet in a minute.
The only work involved
Is when I go to thin it!

Hoping to do some planting this week with my granddaughter. :)

I use 2 litre plastic pop bottles with bottoms cut out , this way you can screw/unscrew the lid if it gets too hot inside.